System for Airflow Management in Electronic Enclosures

1. A system for airflow management in an electronic enclosure comprising: a backplane assembly, the backplane assembly comprising at least one backplane connector, a front stiffener and a mother card, the front stiffener intermediate the daughter card and the mother card; at least one daughter card, the daughter card including a daughter card connector configured to be removably connectable to the backplane connector, the daughter card oriented substantially perpendicular to the backplane assembly so that cooling air flows substantially parallel to the daughter card; and components disposed on the daughter card oriented to facilitate front-to-back airflow, wherein inlet cooling air impinges on the backplane assembly and splits into at least two flow portions flowing in different directions along a surface defining the backplane assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the different directions are both parallel to a surface defining the backplane assembly.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the components include a pair of MCMs aligned in a vertical row proximate the backplane connector to minimize at least one of interconnect length, voltage drops, and signal delays.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein each MCM includes a thermal spreader intermediate a corresponding MCM cap and finned heat sink assembly.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least two flow portions flowing in different directions are asymmetrical, the MCMs and corresponding thermal spreaders and finned heat sink assemblies are sized in proportion to the asymmetrical airflow distribution.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the pair of MCMs are cooled in parallel as opposed to being cooled in serial.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the backplane assembly is disposed in a vertical plane and the daughter card is disposed in one of a vertical and a horizontal plane.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the front stiffener is made of aluminum.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the backplane assembly includes a midplane board, the front stiffener intermediate the daughter card and the midplane board, wherein a thermally conductive, electrically isolating pad is located between the front stiffener and backside pins used to plug a power supply.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the pins provide a low resistance thermal path from the midplane power planes and from the power supply connectors to the front stiffener via the thermally conductive, electrically isolating pad.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the front stiffener includes impingement fins exposed to the inlet cooling air, the impingement fins configured to enhance a surface area of the front stiffener exposed to the impinging airflow.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the airflow portions cools power supplies and at least one other exits the system at a rear thereof.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least one portion of the airflow flows up through at least one blower and exits the system while the at least one other portion flows down through at least one blower and cools the power supplies.

14. A central electronics complex comprising: an enclosure; a backplane assembly vertically disposed within the enclosure, the backplane assembly comprising at least one backplane connector; at least one daughter card, the daughter card including a daughter card connector configured to be removably connectable to the backplane connector, the daughter card oriented substantially perpendicular to the backplane assembly so that cooling air flows substantially parallel to the daughter card; at least one guide rail in operable communication to the enclosure and extending from the backplane, the guide rail facilitating installation and removal of the daughter card; and components disposed on the daughter card oriented to facilitate front-to-back airflow, wherein inlet cooling air impinges on the backplane assembly and splits into at least two flow portions flowing in different directions along a surface defining the backplane assembly, the components including a pair of MCMs aligned in a vertical row proximate the backplane connector to minimize at least one of interconnect length, voltage drops, and signal delays.

15. The central electronics complex of claim 14 , wherein each MCM includes a thermal spreader intermediate a corresponding MCM cap and finned heat sink assembly.

16. The central electronics complex of claim 15 , wherein the at least two flow portions flowing in different directions are asymmetrical, the MCMs and corresponding thermal spreaders and finned heat sink assemblies are sized in proportion to the asymmetrical airflow distribution.

17. The central electronics complex of claim 14 , further comprising node actuated louvers intermediate adjacent lower guide rails and aligned with each daughter card, each of the node actuated louvers configured to maintain airflow over installed daughter cards when one or more daughter cards are removed by closing the louvers when the daughter card is removed.

18. The central electronics complex of claim 17 , wherein a plurality of fingers extend from a leading front lower edge defining each daughter card, the fingers configured to actuate respective louvers, opening these louvers so that airflow may exit the daughter card and enter a blower inlet plenum.

19. The central electronics complex of claim 18 , wherein each finger substantially defines a triangle having a leading tapered tip configured to pry up a corresponding leading edge defining a corresponding louver into an open position.

20. An airflow management system for a computer comprising: a frame; a central electronics complex enclosure housed within the frame; a backplane assembly vertically disposed within the enclosure, the backplane assembly comprising at least one backplane connector; multiple daughter cards, each daughter card including a daughter card connector configured to be removably connectable to the backplane connector, each daughter card oriented substantially perpendicular to the backplane assembly so that cooling air flows substantially parallel to each daughter card; at least one guide rail in operable communication to the enclosure and extending from the backplane, the guide rail facilitating installation and removal of each daughter card; and components disposed on each daughter card oriented to facilitate front-to-back airflow, wherein inlet cooling air impinges on the backplane assembly and splits into at least two flow portions flowing in different directions along a surface defining the backplane assembly, the components including a pair of MCMs aligned in a vertical row proximate the backplane connector to minimize at least one of interconnect length, voltage drops, and signal delays.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein each MCM includes a thermal spreader intermediate a corresponding MCM cap and finned heat sink assembly.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the at least two flow portions flowing in different directions are asymmetrical, the MCMs and corresponding thermal spreaders and finned heat sink assemblies are sized in proportion to the asymmetrical airflow distribution.

23. The system of claim 20 , wherein at least one of the airflow portions cools secondary air-cooled structures and at least one other exits the system at a rear thereof.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one portion of the airflow flows up through at least one blower and exits the system while the at least one other portion flows down through at least one blower and cools the secondary air-cooled structures.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the secondary air-cooled structures include at least one of a power supply and other cards disposed in the enclosure.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the at least one other portion flows down through at least one blower and first cools the power supply and then any cards disposed above the power supply before exiting a rear of the system.

27. The system of claim 20 , wherein the daughter card is a processor card assembly.